Difference between revisions of "Spaceflight"
| Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
|S2= TBD | |S2= TBD | ||
|S3= Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology [[Maksim-Smelchak]] of the [[Ministry of Science]] | |S3= Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology [[Maksim-Smelchak]] of the [[Ministry of Science]] | ||
| − | |S4= | + | |S4= Author & Contributor:[[user: Matthew Kerwin|Matthew Kerwin]] Baron [[Thon (world)|Thon]] |
}} | }} | ||
{{LEN|Flight|Space}} | {{LEN|Flight|Space}} | ||
Revision as of 05:12, 13 August 2019
Spaceflight is a term for any flight outside of a planet's atmosphere in the vacuum. In most cases, it means flight within a star system.
- It stands in contrast to the term Starflight, which indicates flight from one star system to another and may include vast distances in terms of parsecs.
- Starflight most often involves FTL Jump Drives. Spaceflight is about NAFAL Maneuver Drives.
Description (Specifications)
Flight within a star system is typically conducted with a maneuver drive. Due to the efficiencies of the reactionless M-drive system and the abundant energy supplied by fusion power plants, ships are capable of constant acceleration [1] . In-system travel between two worlds typically involves departure from orbit around the starting world, acceleration to the mid-point of the journey, a "rollover" maneuver to turn the thrusters toward the destination, followed by deceleration into orbit around the destination world. The course for such a journey is planned by an astrogator who takes into account the relative positions and orbital velocities of the two worlds when plotting the maneuver. [2]
Interface from orbit to surface may be through launch and landing of the ship, or through the use of auxiliary small craft.
History & Background (Dossier)
Most sophont species discover spaceflight when an alien ship arrives in orbit around their homeworld. Those that remain uncontacted until TL-6, and have a sufficient industrial base, will often experiment with chemical rockets. Between TL-6 and TL-8, such devices are capable of sending both crewed and robotic probes around a single system, though at a significant cost in resources. Rockets capable of reaching even nearby planets require thousands of tons of fuel and huge dedicated launch facilities, furthermore they are quite dangerous. [3]
Rocketry progresses until the discovery of gravity control technology. Gravitic lifters can move payloads from a planetary surface to orbit much more safely and efficiently. The Gravitic Drive is an outgrowth of gravitic lifters, and civilizations that develop the technology make a significant leap in their interplanetary capability. [4]
As gravitics become less expensive, spaceflight goes from being the exclusive purview of governments, to the business of corporations, and ultimately to individuals. By TL-10 it is not unusual for an individual sophont to own a personal grav vehicle capable of reaching orbit or even reaching a nearby moon. Larger shuttles are capable of sustained journeys, even to the outer solar system using a Gravitic drive, though they are not as efficient outside of a gravity well, they still outperform chemical rockets in every category. By this tech level it is typical for a civilization to have multiple outposts throughout their star system. [5]
At TL-11, thruster tech becomes the most efficient means of interplanetary travel. These drives provide efficient reactionless thrust out to 1000 diameters from any large body. [6]Civilizations that develop thrusters can routinely travel outside of their star’s gravity well, and can establish colonies on suitable worlds within both their inner and outer system. Further gravitic research undertaken in the outer system may lead to the discovery of the jump drive. [7]
This is the typical course of a civilization’s space exploration, but there are exceptions. The Zhodani made their first space journeys using psionic teleportation.[8] The K’Kree eschewed rocketry and never bothered to take to space until they had developed gravitics to lift vessels large enough to carry them. [9]
References & Contributors (Sources)
|
This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it. |
|
This article is missing source reference/s. At least one reference, citation, or author if non-canon should be listed for most articles.
|
- TBD
- TBD
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science
- Author & Contributor:Matthew Kerwin Baron Thon
- ↑ Rob Caswell, William W. Connors, Joe Fugate, Gary L. Thomas. Starship Operator's Manual (Digest Group Publications, 1988), page 2.
- ↑ Marc Miller. The Traveller Book (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), page 49 et seq.
- ↑ Martin Dougherty, Bryan Steele. Central Supply Catalogue (Mongoose Publishing, 2009), page 6.
- ↑ Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Starships (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), page 56.
- ↑ Marc Miller. Referee's Companion (Game Designers Workshop, 1988), page 33-35.
- ↑ Marc Miller, Robert Eaglestone, Don McKinney. Starships (Far Future Enterprises, 2019), page 56.
- ↑ Peter G. Celella, James Holden. Solomani & Aslan (Digest Group Publications, 1991), page 19.
- ↑ J. Andrew Keith, Marc Miller, John Harshman. Zhodani (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), page 7.
- ↑ J. Andrew Keith, Loren Wiseman. K'kree (Game Designers Workshop, 1984), page 4.